I. ˈwānzkə]t, -nsk- also -nzˌkä] or -nzˌkō] or -nˌskä] or -nˌskō]; usu ]d.+V; also chiefly Brit ˈwen- noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle Dutch wagenschot, probably from wagen wagon, cart + schot shot, crossbar, wooden partition; akin to Old English scot shot — more at wain , shot
1.
a. Britain : a fine grade of oak imported for woodwork
b.
(1) : a wooden lining of an interior wall usually paneled
(2) : a lining of an interior wall irrespective of material
a tile wainscot
c. : the lower three or four feet of an interior wall when finished differently from the remainder of the wall (as with wood panels, tile, or marble slabs)
2. : any of various European and American noctuid moths belonging to the genera Leucania and Cirphis that are reddish or yellowish and are streaked or lined with black and white and that in the larval stage are army worms
II. transitive verb
( wainscoted also wainscotted ; wainscoted also wainscotted ; wainscoting -ō]d.]iŋ, ]t], ]ēŋ also -ə] or -ä] ; also wainscotting -ə], -ä] ; wainscots -əts also -äts or -ōts\)
: to line (as a wall) with or as if with boards or paneling
wainscot a hall
wainscoted with looking glass — Joseph Addison
III. adjective
1. : made of wainscot
a wainscot door
2. : resembling or suggestive of wainscot (as in hardness or color)
a wainscot face
3. or wainscoted : provided with or lined with a wainscot or with paneling of any sort
a wainscot wall
a wainscot seat